I never tire of receiving cookware samples to review, so when a box arrived and was sitting on my desk I couldn’t wait to open it. Inside I was happy to find a Manpan stir fry wok.

If you’ve never heard of ManPans before then you’re not the only one. We have been running this website for a few years now and it was only when a representative of the company contacted us that we found out about them.

So who are they? Well, ManPans is a brand of Lloyd Industries and Lloyd Industries supply commercial cookware to restaurants and commercial kitchens. However, their Manpan line of cookware has been developed with the specific purpose of supplying chef quality pans to consumers.

First Impressions…

As I lifted the pan out of the box I was surprised at how light it was. I am so used to cookware like All Clad and Cuisinart Multiclad where the clad bases make the pans feel solid and weighty.

My other initial reaction was that the pan looked a bit rough around the edges. Almost as if it hadn’t been packaged properly and had scuffed during transport.

Okay not a good start, but stay with me here as although these were my initial thoughts, there are explanations for each of them…and things only got better from there.

What’s in the Box

We received a 10in stir fry pan with a steamer and lid. Both the lid and steamer can be purchased separately.

Where is it made?

It’s not very often that you find a pan that is manufactured in the US but this is one of them. This pan is made in Spokane, WA USA.

What is it made of?

Many will be pleased to know that this pan is 100% PTFE and Teflon-free!!

The pan is constructed from hard anodized aluminum so it conducts heat well and means you don’t need to use high temperatures to cook.

Amazing Non-Scratch Surface!!!

The surface of the pan is coated with what the company calls Gem-X2 which they describe as a two layer sapphire/quartz-like natural mineral finish. Apparently it is resistant to scratching, chipping and flaking. They are so sure of the high standard of the finish that they claim that you can rub a coin across the coating and it will not scratch the surface and in fact, it will wear down the coin instead. I found this a bit too good to be true but decided to take up the challenge and give it a go.

This was harder than I thought…I hate to see cookware with scratches but for the sake of this review, I knew I had to do it. So out came the coin and away I went scratching at the surface. I tried it first on the bottom surface of the steamer as I didn’t want to ruin the pan itself.

It was pretty amazing actually. After a lot of effort with the coin, the surface did have what looked scratches although they were quite faint. BUT as soon as I rubbed the scratches with a damp cloth they disappeared. I did it again and again and scratched even harder but each time the scratches just rubbed off. In fact they just came off by rubbing the area with my thumb.

I then tried it on the pan itself and had the same result.

I checked the pan a day later to see if the scratches ‘suddenly reappeared’ but no they were gone for good and in fact I couldn’t even find the spot where the scratches were to begin with.

And for those that need to see the results take a look at the pics below:

The Shape

The pan has deep curved sides and is not as open as the tradtional style wok that we are used to …but we need to remember that we are looking at an American style wok here not a traditional wok… so we won’t get into comparisons between the two.

However, for those that aren’t aware, a traditional wok has a wide opening and a small handle on each side. The bottom is curved and requires a stand for it to sit secure on the stove top. An American style wok, on the other hand, is known as a stir fry pan. It has a flat base and one long handle and sometimes a handle helper. So although they are basically designed to do the same job they are quite different in their construction.

I find that this is a great pan to move food around in as the sides are deep and curved. It is surprising just how much food you can fit into this 10in pan. And the flat bottom ensures that the pan stays secure on the stove top.

Does it generate enough heat?

The goal for any stir fry pan or wok is to generate a lot of heat. This is so foods cook quickly and evenly – a low heat tends to cause the foods to stew in their own juices which means that the meat can become tough and vegetables soggy and unpalatable. For this reason we really wanted to focus on this aspect of the pan to ensure it made the grade. If it didn’t there really was no point reviewing any further.

So what did we find?

We’re happy to say that the pan did exceptionally well in the heat department. I actually used my own stovetop for testing. And we used it on a hot plate that is renowned for not generating a lot of heat so we were surprised that the pan did so well. The pan got hot quickly and maintained good solid heat the entire time.

I would tend to think that because this pan doesn’t have a thick base is what makes the difference here. It means the pan heats up quickly and maintains the heat during the cooking process.

Can it be used on a ceramic stove top?

Yes definitely – the pan is safe to use on ceramic stove tops.

Can I use the Manpan in the oven?

Yes, these pans are oven safe to an amazing 700F…not that there are many home ovens that get anywhere near to that temperature but at least the option is there if you need it. Just be aware however that the lid is only oven safe to 400F.

What is the handle like?

The handles stay cool on the stovetop but ensure that you use oven gloves if using in the oven as they will get hot. It also feels quite comfortable to hold.

Beauty Marks…

As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, this pan arrived with what looked like scuff marks. You can see an example of what I mean in the image. These were examples of marks found on the steamer but there were also minor marks on the pan itself.

I attributed it to poor packaging, however on checking the manpan website I found the following:

“We believe the Gem-X2 finish quality of our pans gives you the most beautiful cooking results imaginable. Our exclusive manufacturing process leaves an occasional harmless streak, smudge or rack mark on the cookware and we don’t overfinish them with unnecessary pretty coatings. We call these our “beauty marks”.”

I guess when your priority is to supply cookware for industrial applications where the performance of the cookware is the top priority then a few ‘beauty marks’ on the final look of the cookware isn’t an issue.

This may work with those in the industry but I just wonder about home cooks. I must admit that I was initially disappointed at seeing the scuff marks but on the other hand I quickly got over it after using the pan and assessing its performance.

Eco-Friendly?…definitely!

Being eco-friendly is definitely something this company is good at. Here’s what they had to say about their cookware:

“Since we manufacture, anodize and finish all our pans in one US location, we save carbon by reducing transportation. Our anodizing process is very clean both in sewage and air quality and receives high marks from the Washington State Department of Ecology. Our finishing technology contains no petroleum products, no PFE or PFOA, is water based and completely non-reactive. From manufacturing to our finished product, we are truly embracing the most eco-friendly cookware available.”

Yes, the pan comes with a lifetime warranty for any defects in material and workmanship. Plus if you aren’t happy with the pan for any reason you can return it in 30 days for a refund.

Our Final Analysis

If you’re looking for perfection then you may be disappointed if the pan happens to turn up with minor scuff marks or discolortions. People tend to expect everything to be just right when they purchase something new so I can only think that this may be an issue for some. Just be aware that this in no way detracts from the ability of this pan to do the job intended.

Overall if you are looking for a green eco friendly pan that stir frys exceptionally well then we definitely recommend this pan. It’s strong but light, it looks good, feels good and does a beautiful job at generating the required amount of heat for cooking stir frys.

You will certainly receive lots of compliments when you serve up this cake to your family and friends and they will congratulate you on how clever you are. This is definitely a cake to serve up for a ladies afternoon tea party. Just imagine the addition of a couple of sprigs of fresh mint between some of the pineapple slices, I think it would just finish the decoration off nicely.

The pan is made from heavy cast aluminum which gives excellent heat conductivity without hot spots to burn your cake and the heavy aluminum walls ensure that the batter rises evenly and cooks uniformly so that your cake has a delicious moist center and a nice golden crust.

And because the Nordic Ware Pineapple upside down cake pan has a non stick surface so you know that means clean up is easy, although it is recommended that the pan be hand washed with a mild detergent.

Nordic Ware have been very helpful as they have included a recipe for Pineapple Upside Cake with the pan. S o you won’t have to go scouring through the recipe books looking for a suitable cake recipe.

Forget the regular square cut cake portions. This pan lets you create perfectly formed 3/4 cup sized Mini, round, Pineapple portions. And check out the leaf pattern on these little cakes. The pan measures 14″ x 9″ x 2″ . It is made in the US and also comes with a recipe to get you started.

The mini pan is also made from the same heavy gauge aluminum as the larger pan and requires the same care.

Nordic Ware Pineapple Upside Down Cake Pan

Nordic Ware Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cake Pan

Where Can I Buy The Nordic Ware Pineapple Upside Down Cake Pan and Mini Cake pan?Amazon.com

Now this I like. What an great looking set. The bronze color of this 10 piece cookware set by Anolon is absolutely gorgeous. Just imagine this lovely set hanging from your pot rack. After all it is way too attractive not to put on show.

This is the new range of Anolon cookware and is one we believe will prove to be very popular.

The Broil King PCG-10 Non Stick Professional Griddle has a number of features that make this a good value for money appliance. If you have a limited amount of money to spend on an electric griddle then this is definitely the one to go with.

The Broil King Griddle has a large cooking surface at 21in by 12in so you will have plenty of room to cook a breakfast for four or a big batch of pancakes. You might want to measure your counter prior to purchase to ensure you will have enough space to accomodate this grill.

The non-stick surface on the Broil King Professional Griddle keeps foods from sticking and the stainless backsplash means that you will minimize oil splattering around your kitchen.

What We Like

The heat adjusts to up to 425F.

It has a backsplash spatter guard that is removable.

The base itself can be immersed in water making for easy clean up.

The handles are stainless steel and are cool to touch.

It has a removable grease tray.

Although the grill cooks fairly evenly it still has the potential for hotspots. However, the manual explains this and lets you know which areas on the grill are hotter than others. This allows you to place foods that require quicker cooking at one end and those that are a little more delicate like eggs for instance at the other.

Want to Read More Reviews?

You can read more reviews for the Broil King Non Stick Professional Griddle at Amazon and Cooking.com

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